Electric guitar



J1me 1942- F. H. KISLINGBURY 2,288,463

ELECTRIC GUITAR Filed Oct '7, 1940- INVENT OR.

Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to musical instruments and more especially to electric guitars.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved, simplified and compact electric guitar unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self-contained electric guitar unit comprising a guitar amplifier and speaker.

An additional object is to provide a guitar of the character described, having a slip hinged cover for the upper portion thereof and provided with a handle, thus eliminating a separate carrying case.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a guitar embodying my invention shown with the cover removed; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the cover in addition.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I show a guitar 5 having a top wall 6, a bottom wall I, tapering side walls 8 and 9 respectively, and an end wall I9. These walls are adapted to form chambers II and I2 which are separated by a cross wall l3 which may be provided with a plurality of apertures M for ventilation as will become more apparent hereinafter. A finger board l5 suitably secured on top wall 6, as are a plurality of strings I6, is secured between a tail block I! and tuning keys I8.

An electro-magnetic pick-up I9 is secured on top Wall 6 beneath strings l6 and is electrically connected to an amplifying unit suitably mounted in a shielded casing 2| in chamber ll. Bottom wall I is provided with a suitable aperture 22 so as to admit unit 20 and its shield 2|, the latter being provided with flanged portions 23 by which it is secured to the outer side of wall 1, suitable screws 24 being provided for this purpose. A volume control 25 is suitably secured to top wall 6 and connected to amplifying unit 26 and provided with an easily accessible operating knob. A speaker unit 26 is secured in chamber l2 and has a mounting flange 21, a portion of which extends through an aperture 28 in wall 1 and is secured to the latter as by screws 29 which also secure a grill 30 to wall 1.

Top and bottom walls 6 and 1 are provided with a plurality of apertures 3| provided with screens 32 adapted to permit dissipation of heat from the tubes and transformers of amplifying unit 26 and a similar function is performed by apertures M in the wall I3. Amplifying unit 26 is provided with a current supply cord 33 having usual plug 34 for attachment to any convenient current outlet.

A removable cover 35 is provided with side and end walls adapted to extend along the edges of top wall 6 and a pair of slip hinges 36 are secured to wall 9 and the adjacent side wall of cover 35. Wall 8 and the opposite side wall of cover 35 are provided with a pair of snap lock units 31 and a suitable handle 38 is secured to Wall 8. Thus it will be seen that the cover 35 which may be readily removed from the instrument is adapted when secured thereto to complement it and form a substantial carrying case.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention comprises a unitary electro-magnetic pick-up amplifier and speaker unit self contained within the instrument and not requiring a separate speaker or amplifier. This invention therefore achieves compactness, lightness and simplicity hitherto unknown. Thus there results an integrated unit comprising all the essential features of the electric guitar from the connecting cord through the pick-up and the amplifier to the speaker. The novel cover case construction fully protects all of the vital and delicate parts of the instrument and further promotes the compactness and lightness of the unit for convenient carrying about.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1s:

An electrical musical instrument of the guitar type comprising a body portion having a top wall with a plurality of strings secured thereon for sounding different notes, means defining a first compartment in said body portion having a rear opening, a loud speaker unit in said compartment mounted over said opening, means defining a second compartment in said body portion adjacent said first compartment, an amplifying unit in said second compartment, said second compartment having openings therein leading to said first compartment and to the top of the instrument, an electrical pick-up unit associated with said strings and means electrically connecting said electrical units for electro-acoustically translating the vibrations of the strings into sound.

FREDRAY H. KISLINGBURY. 

